out of heauens gates and suffer Inquisitions persecutions excommunications and what not so among vs you must believe Scripture as interpreted by the Church of England or you are condemned by them you must believe Scripture as interpreted by the Presbyterians or you are accursed by them you must believe as Anabaptists do or you are damn'd by them and not one Congregation among vs but would root all the others out of the world if it could and wee do not feare that danger wherof S. Paul Gal. 5.15 warns vs If wee bite and devour one an other let 's take heed wee be not consumed one of an other giving vs likewise a holsom advice in the same place how to prevent this euil Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ has made vs free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage The world did groan vnder this heauy yoke in Popery wherin our Rule of faith was Scripture as interpreted by the Pope and Church Scripture was kept from the hand of the flock no man permitted to give or believe any interpretation or sense of it but what the Pope Church and Fathers did approve our reason our judgments our consciences were slaves vnder this yoke vntill that God raised our glorious and blessed Reformers Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others who tooke a holy Libertie and gave vâ— all libertie for to reade and interpreâ— Scripture to believe no Doctrin buâ— what wee judged to be true by Scripture to believe any sense of it which wee judged to be true tho contrary to all thâ— world they tooke for their Rule of faitâ— Scripture and nothing else but Scripturâ— as each one of them vnderstood it thiâ— same Rule of faith they left to vs and â— holy freedom and libertie of our judgments and consciences that any man oâ— sound judgment may hold and believâ— whatever sense of it he thinks to bâ— true This therefore is the scope and end oâ— my following Treatise that wheras ouâ— Rule of faith as J will prove by thâ— vnanimous coÌ„sent of our whole Reformed Church is Scripture or Gods Wriâ—ten Word as interpreted by each persoâ— of sound judgment that wheras bâ— the Principles of our Reformation nâ— man is to be constrained to believe anâ— Doctrin against his judgment and conscience otherwise why were not we left in Popery it is impious tyranâ—cal and quite against the spirit of the Reformation to force vs by Acts of Parliaments Decrees of Synods invectives and persecutions of indiscreet Brethren to embrace this or that Religion that every one ought to be permitted to believe what he please if you think Bigamy to be the Doctrin of Scripture if you think by Scripture there is one Nature and four Persons in God if you think Transubstantiation to be true if you judge by Gods Word ther 's neither Purgatory nor Hell finally whatever you think to be the true sense of scripture you are bound as a true Reformed Child to believe it that it is quite against the spirit of the Reformation to censure oppose or blame the Doctrin or Tenets of any Congregation or of any Doctor of the Reformed Church because that any Doctrin professed by any Christian Congregation whatever the Popish excepted or that ever was delivered by any man of good judgment of the Reformation since the beginning of it vntill this day is as truly and really the Doctrin of the Reformation as the Figurative Presence or kings supremacy is Consequently Protestants are deservedly to be checkt for persecutinâ— Quakers Quakers for murmuring againâ— Presbyterians these for their invectivâ— against Anabaptists and Socinians Aâ— are very good and you may lawfully according the Principles of our Reformâ—tion believe them or deny them This Evangelical libertie of believinâ— any thing which we judge to be the senâ— of scripture tho all the rest of the worlâ— should judge it to be a blasphemie the most distinctive sign of the Refoâ—mation from Popery for Papists are thâ— Children of Agar the slave they livâ— in bondage and constraint to believe at Doctrin which the Pope and Church prâ—poses to them and if a learned man â— vniversity should judge it to be contraâ— to Scripture he must submit his judgment to that of the Pope or be coâ—demn'd as an Heretic in our Reformâ—tion wee are the Children of Sara tâ— Free our Rule of faith is Scripture â— each Person of sound judgment in thâ— Church vnderstands it if wee do nâ— like the Doctrin of the Pope Church â— Council wee may gainsay them all anâ— hold our own sense of Scripture â— enjoy the Prerogative of Rational creâ—tures we are lead by our own reason which God has given vs for our conduct and are not like Beasts constrained to follow that of others Wee follow the Rule given vs by S. Paul Rom. 14. He who eates let him not despise him who does not eate and he who does not eate let him not despise him who does eate for God hath received him that 's to say he who believes let him not check him who does not believe as he does and he who does not believe let him not blame him who does believe but let each one believe or not believe as he thinks best in the Lord This holy libertie and freedom is the Spirit of God for where the Spirit of God is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. saies the great Apostle The Lord inspire to our Parliament that now sitâ— vpon a perfect and new settlement of Gouvernment and Religion to follow the footsteps of our first renowned Reformers to enact that there may be no other Rule of faith but that which we received from our Reformers and which is laid down for vs in the 39 Articles of the Church of England that is Scripture as each one best vnderstands it without regarding the judgment sense or interpretation of any but the pure Word of God as we vnderstand it and to enact Penal Laws against any so bold and vncharitable as to censure or blame the Tenets of any Congregation be it Lutheranism Presbyterie Arianism Judaism or Paganism or any Doctrin whatever that any man of sound judgment thinks in his conscience to be the sense and Doctrin of Scripture Three things make me hope that this Treatise will be wellcom to the well inclined and pious Reader of our Reformed Church first that there is not one author quoted in this booke but our own Doctors learned and godly Children of the Reformation and this J observe that my Reader may know ther 's not a Jot of any Doctrin heer but what is of the Reformation and also advertise our Writers and Schoole men how much they discredit our Reformed Church by makeing so much vse of Popish Drs and Bookes in their Writings as if wee had not great and learned men of our own if wee looke into our Bishops and Ministers libraries wee shall meet but books either of confessedly Papists or strongly suspected of Popery and you shall hardly
meete in any of them the works of Lurher Calvin Beza or any of our own authors if you do not meet som Comedies or Romances if you reade our Modern Writers you shall find their bookes to be stuft with arguments stolen from Stapleton Peron Bellarmin and other Popish Drs. wheras they ought to take their Doctrin from Luther Calvin and our other first Reformers Apostles raised by Gods heavenly Spirit Oracles by whose mouths and pens he delivered the pure and Orthodox Doctrin of the Ghospel heavenly Fontains from which wee ought to drink the Doctrin of the Reformation therefore J have made a particular study for the comfort of my Reader not to profane this Treatise with any quotation of any Popish Writer none but our own Drs. Secondly my Reader will be pleased with this Treatise because J do not oblige him to believe the contents of it if he mislikes any Doctrin couched in this booke let him not believe it if he likes it let him believe it what J pretend is to maintain his libertie for to believe or not believe what he please and that none can say black in his eye for believing whatever he judges to be the sense of Scripture let all others think of it what they will for our Rule of faith as J will prove being Scripture as each Person vnderstands it who can be so bold as to check you for teaching and believing what you vnderstand scripture to say som Doctrins there are in this booke delivered by Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others which our Church of England and som others do call blasphemies and scandalous Tenets and their irreverence and arrogance is run so farr as to condemn those blessed men for teaching such Tenets and say that they swerved from the truth and had their fraileties in so much that many of vs are ashamed to own those great men to have been our Reformers and leaders this is an impiety altogither insupportable it cannot be suffered with patience that such Apostolical men who were vndeniably our first Masters of the Reformation should be so vilified and abused therefore J do prove that ther 's no Doctrin delivered by them but is to be esteemed and called the Doctrin of the Reformation and can be according the Principles of the Reformed Church believed and taught by any Reformed Child for what is our Rule of faith in the Reformation but Scripture as each Person of sound judgment vndestands it consequently what is the Doctrin of the Reformation but what any Person of sound judgment vnderstands to be of Scripture whatever Doctrin therefore Luther Calvin or others judged to be of Scripture how can you deny it to be the Doctrin of the Reformation or blame them for teaching and believing it if you do not like it the most you can in justice do is not to believe it but you cannot justly say it s not the Doctrin of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as vnderstood by Persons of good judgment nor can you in justice blame them or any other for believing it if they like it for must not wee believe what wee judge in our conscience to be the Doctrin of Scripture Lastly my Reader will be pleased with the sincerity and plain dealing of this Treatise as much as wee are all offended by the dissimulation and double dealing of our Modern Writers whose aim and scope in the bookes they give out Seems to be nothing else but to say soâ—what whereby they may be thought tâ— be no Papists and nothing is less founâ— in their Writings than the pure and orthodox Doctrin of the Reformationâ— and what is to be bemoan'd that youâ— hardly see in the houses or hands of thâ— flock the works of Luther Calvin oâ— our other first Reformers they are hiâ— from vs to keep vs in ignorance of thâ— true Reformed Doctrin and wee see buâ— Bramhal Tillinson Taylor Stillingfleet Thorndik and such others whose Doctrin is neither Popery nor of the Reformation but a new compound of both they do so mangle the questions controverted with their scholastical subtilities and distinctions as if they werâ— ashamed to own openly our Tenets and did endeauor to get the opinion oâ— moderat sober men with the Papists by drawing as neer as their Interest caâ— permit them to their Doctrin Ask them if we be obliged to believe the Doctrin and sense of scripture delivered by a general Council our first Reformers resolved roundly that we are not nay Luther saies expresly we are bound to gainsay and work against the Decrees of any Council but our Modern Doctors answer with a pretty Distincction Ther 's a civil obligation quoth one but no obligation in conscience Ther 's an obligation in conscience saies an other provided you do not believe they are infallible you may believe they are infallible objectively or terminatively saies an other but not subjectively they are infallible in fundamental points saies an other but not in inferior Truths An other will come yet and say they are absoluty infallible in all Articles and thus by little and little the Papists gain ground against vs and the lustre of our Reformation is clouded by the cowardliness or insincerity or hiprocisy of our Modern teachers 1. Kings 18. How long halt ye between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him Luther Calvin Beza and our other first Reformers were raised by God to teach vs the purity of the Ghospel let vs not be ashamed to follow their Doctrin to speake preach and believe as they did Therefore J do propose their Doctrin in this Treatise in its native coulours that if you like it you may believe it and if any be so bold as to Say you believe fals or scaâ—dalous Doctrin you must answer iâ— the Doctrin of the Reformation bâ—cause its Scripture as vnderstood bâ— Persons of judgment and the greate Oracles wee had and if you do noâ— like it you may deny it but bewaâ— never to blame or check any other foâ— believing it this is the Holy libertie oâ— the Ghospel and of our Primitive Râ—formation FIRST DIALOGUE ISMAEL I have read your Preface and Principles me thinks you drive to establish a new Religion for that vnlimited libertie which you assert for to belieue or not belieue whatever we please with a safe Conscience is not allowed by any of our Reformed CongregatioÌ„s and it were to be wisht you should rather stick to som one of the Congregations now establisht than to erect a new one for we have but too many already Isaac The Lord forbid I should think or speake otherwise then as becometh a true child of the Reformation If you will oblige me to belieue Scripture as interpreted by the Lutheran Church the like I say of any other Congregation and deny the Tenets of all others what difference betwixt me and a Papist in the electiâ— of my Religion for the Papist's Râ—ligion must be no other but Scriptâ— as
interpreted by the Pope and CoÌ„ciâ— my Religion must be Scripture as intâ—preted by the Lutheran Church aâ— no other my judgment and Conscieâ— therefore is as much constrained as tâ— of the Papist and our separation frâ— Popery will com to be but an exchanâ— of one slavery for another in thâ— our judgments and Consciences wâ— slaves to the Pope and Councils â— this we are slaves to the Lutheâ— Church We became a Reformatâ— by shaking of the yoke of Popâ— from our judgments and leaving thâ— free for to belieue Scripture as wâ— the assistance of Gods spirit each oâ— best vnderstands it and if we â— continue a Reformation we must â— submit again our judgments to aâ— other but retain that blessed liberâ— we recouered for to belieue the Teâ— of any Congregation I confess this â—bertie is not allowed by any one pâ—ticular Congregation as you obserâ— but you must also grant me that â— allowed taken by the whole bodâ— of the Reformation for in this whoâ— body as it comprehends Protestants Lutherans Presbyterians c. one CoÌ„gregation believes what the other denies and in any of them a man may live with a safe Conscience which you will not denie therefore any man has full libertie for to believe or deny with a safe Conscience the Tenets of any Congregation hence it follows and to my grief I speake it that no particular Congregation be it of England France or Germanie has the true spirit of the Reformation in doting so much vpon their particular Tenets as to thinke they cannot be as well denied as believed and in looking vpon them with so passionat eys as to censure check and force others to believe them you shall see by this discourse that the true spirit of the Reformation is not in any one particular Congregation separatly taken from the rest for each particular Congregation constrains as much as it can all people to believe its own Tenets Protestancy would have vs all to be Protestants and would root Lutherans out of the world as well as Popery Lutherans would if they could draw all to their own Nett Presbytery esteems itself to be the best of all would crush Protestancy if it could This then iâ— the spirit of each particular Congregation a Limiting confining spirit to som particular Tenets with an exclusion of all others but looke on the whole Body of our Reformation aâ— it includes all Reformed Congregations distinct from Popery there iâ— a holy extension of spirit and libertie for to be either Lutherans Presbyteriants Protestans and any thing but Popery and whatever any Congregation may say of an other but all vnanimously agree that the spirit of the Lord is in the whole body of the Reformation since therefore that in this whole Body there is a latitude libertie for to profess divers and oppositâ— Tenets and that each Tenet is believed by one and denied by others we must grant that this holy libertie for to believe or deny any Tenets we please is the true spirit of our holy reformation It 's not therefore to be wisht as you do that I should stick to any one particular Congregation or Tenets for such a restriction is meer Popery and your bemoaning the multiplicity of our Congregations is profane and Popish No it s a blessing of the Lord vpon our Reformation for which we shall never sufficiently thank him that we see it divided into so many Godly branches In the house of my father said Christ there are many mansions Joan. 14.2 Ismael By your discourse you seem to allow that we may with a safe conscience change Religions as often as we please and be to day a Protestant to morrow à Lutheran next day a Presbyterian and so run ouer all Isaac I know you will be startl'd at my answer for J am not ignorant that all men apprehend it to be absurd to change run ouer so many religions but truth must be declared though it may seem a scandal to the Iews and a folly to the Gentils It s therefore the Doctrin of the Reformation that we may with a safe conscience be to day Protestanrs to morrow Lutherans in France Hugonots in Hungarie Antitrinitarians in Poland Socinians ad in London of any Religion but Popery Ismael For shame you fouly imposâ— vpon the Reformation ther 's not anâ— Congregation that teachs such à scandalous and absurd Doctrin Isaac By your favor I loue thâ— Reformation as the apple of my eye and will never yield to any in my zealâ— for its honor and doctrin J am so faâ— from imposing upon it that I will evidence your error in denying this to bâ— its Doctrin and it will appear thaâ— whoever will deny it to be very lawful to change Religions as time and occasion requires must renounce the besâ— and fundamental Principles of our Reformation must impiously condemâ— the practise of our first Reformers Ismael How will you make it ouâ— that this Doctrin is grounded vpoâ— the fundamental Principles of our Reformation wheras there is not onâ— Congregation of ours but abhorrs it Isaac Sr. You may well perceive by the tenor of my discours that J am piously and charitably iealous with each particular Congregation thaâ— my drift is to shew that each of them none excepted swerves from and transgresses against the true spirit and solid Principles of the Reformation as wiâ—l further appear in this discours It s vâ—contestedly true that the Rule of faith of the Reformation is Scripture as the humble of heart assisted with the spirit of the Lord vnderstands it for Lutherans will never admit their Rule of faith to be Scripture as interpreted by the Church of England but as interpreted by themselves nor will England admit Scripture to be their Rule of faith as it is interpreted by the Presbyterians but as interpreted by the Church of England so that the Doctrin of each Congregation is but Scripture as interpreted by them and wheras all these Congregations joyntly compose the whole Body of the Reformation and each Congregation is truly a member of the Reformation the Doctrin of the Reformation coms to be Scripture as each Congregation and person of sound judgment in the Reformation saies the Church of England in her 39. Artic. interprets it This being an vncoÌ„trouled truth what man of euer so sound a judgment but may read to day Scripture as interpreted by the Lutheran Church and judge in his conscience that interpretation and Doctrin to be true consequently he may with a safe conscience profess that Religion soon after he may meet Calvins bookes charm'd with the admirable strength of his reasons and glosses vpon Scripture he may judge in his conscience he is to be preferr'd beforre Luther and so may lawfully forsake Lutheranism for Calvinism then again he hits vpon Scripture as interpreted by the Church of England whose Doctrin ravish's him with that decencie of Ceremonies that majesty of her lyturgie that harmonie of her Hieraâ—chie
any of our synods Did any teach that we may with a safe conscience change our Religion as you say Isaac Yes I can the Synod of Charenton in France held about the yeare 1634. expresly saies that for your salvation it s all alike whether you be a Calvinist Lutheran or of any other Congregation of the Reformed because says this Venerable synod they all agree in fundamental points and the Lutherans haue nothing of superstition or Idolatrie in their manner of divin worship Change then as often as you list be a Lutheran be a Presbyterian be an Anabaptist by the mouth of this synod you are assured you 'l never miss to hit right And I pray can any synod of our times haue more authoritie in point of Doctrin than Luther our first Reformer a man extraordinarily raised by God says the synod of Charenton and replenisht with his spirit for to repaire the ruins of his Church He teachs the elevation of the sacrament is Idolatrie yet he did practise iâ— and commanded it should be practised iâ— the Church of Wittemberg to spâ—te thâ— Deuil Carolstadius Giuing you tâ— vnderstand that for just reasons yoâ— may teach now one Religion noâ— an other Zuinglius also whose virtuâ— and Learning is knowen to the work says that God inspired him to preacâ— what Doctrin was suitable to the times which as it often changes you maâ— often change your Doctrin and consider you if it be not therefore thaâ— Christ our lord saies his yoke is sweâ—â— his burden light that is Religioâ— because we can withdraw our Neâ—â— from it as time and just reason requires Ismael Could you giue me any sâ—nod of the Church of England whicâ— deliuers this Doctrin you would gâ— neere hand to convince me for thâ— som particular Doctors should hauâ— taught or practis'd it does not provâ— it to be the Doctrin of the Reformation Isaac And what greater authoritiâ— has a synod of England for to provâ— a Doctrin to be of the Reformation than a synod of France which I have produced Or than Luther and Zuinglius our first Reformers inspired by God to teach vs the puritie of the Ghospel Was it not from Luther and Zuinglius that England receiued the Doctrin of the Reformation and if England be so bold as to say they erred in this what assurance can we haue but that they erred in the rest But since nothing will please you but a synod of England you shall haue not one but many Can there be any synod in England of so great authoritie as our wise and prudent Parliaments Read our Chronicles and you 'l find that in few years time they changed and established different Religions by publick acts of Parliament In Henry the 8. Reigne they voted for Popery and made Acts and Statuts against the Reformation In Edward the 6. time they banisht Popery and voted for Zuinglianism In Queen Mary's they pull'd down this and sett vp Popery again In Queen Elizabeths they decryed this and set vp not Zuinglianism but Protestancy in the midst of her reign they polisht this and added som new perfections to it In King James and succeeding kings times Protestancy is of a different stamp from that of Queen Elizabeths Heare Doue in his Exhort to the English Recusants an 1603. pag. 31. Henry the 8 had his Lyturgie which was very good Edward the 6. condemned it and brought in an other composed by Peter Martir and Bucer in Elizabeths time that was condemned and an otheâ— approued and in the middle of her reign her Lyturgy was also misliked and â— new one introduced we are so wantâ—â— that nothing will coÌ„tent vs but novelties Ismael Doue does not commenâ— this Doctrin for he calls that frequent exchange of Religion Wantonness and loue of noueltie Isaac It s no great matter what he says of it my drift is but to convince you that this is the Doctrin practise of the best Members of our Reformation euen of England and if you be convinc't its the Doctrin of the Reformation you cannot deny but that it is good Doctrin if Doue calls it wantonness S. Paul Ephes 4.22 Coloss 3.9 Rom. 6.6 commends it and exhorts vs to put of the old man with its deeds that 's Popery with its ceremonies and put on the new man that 's the Reformation where ther 's neither Greek nor Iew Circumcision nor Incircumcision Barbarian or Scythian bound or free but Christ is all and in all that 's to say where ther 's no distinction of Protestants or Presbyterians Socinians or Arians it s all one which Religion you profesâ— Ismael But is there no Tenet of Religion which we are all indispensably obliged to hold Isaac Yes there is and no more but one we are bound to have faith in Iesus Christ son of God and Saviour of the world This is the substance of Christian Religion be an Arian be a Presbyterian be a Socinian or what you please be also plung'd to your ears in wickedness of life and manners so you have faith in Jesus Christ son of God and Redeemer of the world and live in charitie you will be a member of the true Church and be saved Do not imagin this is any new Doctrin invented by me search the vulgar sort of our Reformed Brethren you shall get thousands of this opinion in our Realm search the Books of our Learned Drs you shall find it in them also Dr Morton in his much applauded booke dedicated to Queen Elizabeth for which he deserved a Bishoprick says The Arian Curch is to be esteemed a true Church because they hold the true substance of Christian ReligioÌ„ which is faith in Iesus Christ son of God and Redeemer of the world and again in the same place sect 4. whose Title is Heretics are members of the Church he says whosoeuer believes in Iesus Christ tho by wickedness of life or Heresy in Doctrin they should err in Doctrin they are still true Members of the Church Therefore our learnd Fox Doctor Fieldâ— and Illiricus say the Greek Church notwithstanding their error in denying the Procession of the H. Ghost from the son are holy members of the true Church because they have faith in Jesus Christ Ismael Sure you will not say this Doctrin is of the Reformation or can be safely believed Isaac I do admire how you can doubt of it and that it may be believed for what is the Doctrin of the Reformation but as we have said in our Principles Scripture as interpreted by any man of sound judgement in the Church and were not Doctor Morton Fox Field and Illiricus men of sound judgement eminent Learning and Godlines if-therefore this be Scripture as interpreted by them how can you deny it to be the Doctrin of the Reformation Ismael And what Jesus Christ are we obliged to believe in for Jesus Christ as believed by the Arians Socinians Luther and Calvin is far different from Jesus Christ as
dirt vpon his Church the honest Quaker will say I am a profane man others perhaps will say I am of no Religion but a despiser of all and our Congregations are so vncharitable that likely none will accept of me because I say all religions are very good a sad thing that a man must be hated for speaking well of his neighbours and that each one must have all the world to be naught but himself this then is my Religion To suffer persecution for justice and truth to render good for evil to bless those who curse me and speake well of all congregations whylst they speake all evil against me reflect well vpon what J discoursed hitherto and you will find J am as great a louer of the Reformation as they who may think me its enemie and reade my following discourse and you will find I loue Popery as well as the Reformation the Spirit of God makes no exception of Persons Ismael You promised to proue by the Principles of the Reformation that wee may believe all the Tenets of Popery and remain still of the Reformation how can this be Isaac You remember I excepted one Principle of Poperie wherin you must necessarily dissent from them and if you deny this one Principle you may believe all their others Tenets as well as the Pope and be as â—ood a Child of the Reformation as Luther Ismael What Principle is this which you seem to make the only distinctive sign of a Reformed from a Papist Isaac Listen a whyle a Papist is not a Papist because he believes Purgatory Transubstantiation Indulgences and the rest of Popish Tenets but because he believes them vpon the testimonie of the Pope and Church because they assure him they are revealed Truths if a Papist did say J believe these Tenets because I myself do judge by scripture that they are revealed and not because the Pope and Church say they are he would be no Papist The Papist believes the Mystery of the Trinity the Incarnation and passion of Christ the Protestant believes the same Mysteries yet the one is a Papist and no Protestant the other is a Protestant and no Papist And why because the Papist believes them vpon the testimonie of the Pope and Church the Protestant believes them vpon the testimony of Gods Written Word believe then whatever you please of Popery provided you believe it because you judge by Scripture its true and not because the Pope or the Church sayes it you 'l never be a Papist but a perfect Reformed Ismael If this discourse be solid you may hedge in all the Articles of Popery into our Reformation Isaac If you peruse the works of our Reformed Drs you 'l hardly find any Article of Popery but has been judged by many or som of our best Reformed Drs to be the true Doctrin of scripture and wheras any Doctrin which any Person of sound judgment vnderstands by scripture to be true may be justly called the Doctrin of the Reformation it follows that hardly is there any Article of Popery for which wee see so many persecutions againsts subjects and such troubles in our Parliaments but is truly the Doctrin of the Reformation Ismael Shew me som examples of this Isaac The Veneration of Relicks and Saints dead bones is generally believed by vs to be meer Popery and superstition therefore wee made no store of Luther and Calvins bones tho wee know them to be as great Saints as any in the Popish Church but Veneration of Relicks and Saints bones is the Doctrin of our Reformation for whatever is set down and commended by our Common Prayer book must be vndoubtedly esteemed our Reformed Doctrin and practice and our common Prayer book printed since our Kings happy restauration in its Kalender sets down a day to the Translation of S. Edward king of Saxons Body in the month of June and dedicats an other to the translation of the Bodies of S. Martin and Swithin in the month of July The Veneration and vse of the Sign of the Cross is flat Popery in the judgment of all our Congregations yet any Reformed Child may laudably and piously vse it wheras our Common Prayer Book in the Administration of Baptism commands the Minister to vse it saying Wee sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that heerafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight vnder his banner against Sin the world and the Deuil And in our kalender printed since his Majesti's restauration it s called the Holy Cross Our Congregations generally believe its Popery to keep Holy daies except the Sabboth day and Saints daies to fast Lent Vigils commanded Emberdays and fridaies and all this is recommanded to vs in our Common Prayer book and the Minister is commanded in the Administration of the Lords Supper to publish the Holy daies of the week and exhort vs to fast and surely he is not commanded to teach or exhort vs to any thing but to the Doctrin of the Reformation It 's true the Students of our Colledges of Oxford and Cambridge are much troubled with scruples in this point these Pauperes de Lugduno are compelled to fast all fridays throughout the yeare and it s not hungar that makes them complain but tenderness of Conscience because they feare its Popery It 's a Popish error wee say to believe that Pennance or our penal works of fasting almsdeeds or corporal austerities can auaile and helpe for the remission of our Sins and satisfying Gods Justice No we say penal works serue for noting all is don by Repentance that 's to say by sorrow of heart for having offended God This is the Doctrin of Danaeus Willet Junius and Calvin who saies Francis Dominick Bernard Antony and the rest of Popish Monks and Fryars are in hell for their austerities and penal Works for all that you may very well believe and its the Doctrin of the Reformation that Pennance and Penal Works do auaile for the remission of our sins and are very profitable to the soule for our Common Prayer booke in the Commination against sinners saies thus In the Primitive Church there was a godly Disciplin that at the beginning of Lent such as were notorious Sinners were put to open pennance and punisht in this world that their soules may be saued in the day of the Lord. And our Common Prayer booke wishes that this Disciplin were restored again and Surely it does not wish that Popery were restored therefore it s no Popery to say that Pennance or penal Works do satisfy for our sins in this world and auaile to save vs in the other Ismael I know many of our Congregations mislike much our Common Prayer booke for these Popish Tenets but what do you say of the grand errors of Popery can a man be a true Child of the Reformation and yet believe the Popes Supremacy deny the kings supremacy believe Transubstantiation and Communion in one kind are these
Tenets the Doctrin of the Reformation or consistent with its Principles Isaac The kings supremacy is vndoubtedly the Doctrin of the Reformation because it s judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet not only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it s not of Scripture but as erroneus a Tenet as that of the Popes supremacy Calvin 6. Amos saies They were vnaduised people and blasphemers who raised king Henry the VIII so far as to call him the head of the Church but also that no Civil Magistrat can be the head of any particular Church is the Doctrin of the Centuriators cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viretus Kemnitius and many others who doubts then but that in the Principles and Doctrin of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy tho the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrin of Popery who doubts it but it s also the Doctrin of the Reformation for many of our Eminent Drs. haue judged it to be the Doctrin of Scripture as Whitgift who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but its needfull wee relate som of their express words I do not deny saies Luther but that the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be the first of all I believe he is aboue all other Bishops it s not lawfull to deny his supremacy Melancton saies no less that the B. of Rome is aboue all the Church that it is his Office to govern to judge in controversies to watch ouer the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and vnity of Doctrin Somaisius The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italie and not only in Italie nor only in the West but in all the world the other Metropolitans have bin chief in their respective districts but the pope of Rome has bin Metropolitan and Primat not only of som particular Dioces but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this supremacy belongs to the Pope de Iure Divino J pray consider if these Drs. be not men of sound judgment and of eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrin be Scripture as such men vnderstand it consider I say with what justice can this Doctrin be called Popery more than Reformed Doctrin As for Transubstantiation it contains two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament and this Real presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrin of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrin the second is if the substance of bread be in the Sacrament togither with Christs Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transubstantiation or change of the whole substance of bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther saies of this that wee call Popish Doctrin I give all Persons libertie to believe in this point what they please without hazard of their salvation either that the bread is in the Sacrament of the Altar or that it is not Would Luther have given this liberty if Transubstantiation had not been the Doctrin of the Reformation as well as any other Calvin also and Beza affirm that Luther's Doctrin of the coexistence of Christ's Body and the bread is more absurd than the Popish Doctrin of the existence of the Body alone if therefore wee be true Reformed and safely believe the Doctrin of Luther which is the most absurd much more will we be of the Reformation by believing that of the Papists which is less Communion in One kind is the Doctrin of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther saies They sin not against Christ who vse one kind onely seeing Christ has not commanded to vse both and again tho it were an excellent thing to vse both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and Vnity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancton who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teachs the same Doctrin and the Church of England Statut 1. Edward VI. commands That the Sacrament be commonly administer'd in both kinds if necessitie does not require otherwise mark he saies but Commonly and that for som necessity it may be receved in one lastly th◠sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Disciplin printed at Saumur chap. 12. art 7. The Minister must give the bread in the supper to them who cannot drink the Cup provided it be not for contempt And the reason is because there are many who cannot endure the tast of Wine wherefore it often happens among them that som persons do take the bread alone and truly if som of our Ministers in England do not give better wine than they are acustomed who very irreverently serve that holy Table with naughtie trash it s much to be feared that our flock will also petition to be dispens'd with in the Cup because there are som of so delicat Palats that they cannot endure the tast of bad Wine Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in condemning our Reformed Doctrin and Doctors as Hereticks wheras those Tenets are believed by many of vs as well as by them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaiming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation wheras so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture Ismael Wheras I see people persecuted by the Church of England for these Tenets I can hardly be perswaded they are the Doctrin of the Reformation at our next meeting wee will pursue this discourse the Bell rings for morning Prayers A Dieu VII DIALOGUE ISAAC You come from Church as I guess by the Common Prayer booke I see in your hands I pray let me see the Kalender of it if it be à la mode nouvelle which was made by the Church of England since his Majesties restauration Ismael Why have you met any thing in it which shocks you Isaac Shock me No Doctrin or practice of any Congregation or man of sound judgment of our Church can shock me you know I pleade for libertie to believe and practise as each one judges by scripture to be true and good But I observe in your Kalender you have a day consecrated to S. Ann in the month of of July I would gladly know what Ann is this which the Church of England honors so much Ismael It 's Ann the Mother of the Virgin Mary Isaac Is 't possible J thought it was Ann Bolen the mother of our Virgen Elizabeth J am sure the Church of England is more obliged to her than to the other but as you have put heer the
Mother of the Virgin Mary why did not you put in also Elizabeth mother of the great Baptist and the Angel Gabriel as well as Michael Ismael J know not indeed Isaac Nor do J know if it be not because that Elizabeth and Gabriel made the Popish Ave Maria as Scripture relates but can you tell as the Church of England put in your Kalender S. George S. Andrew and S. David Patrons of England Scotland and Wales why did not she put in S. Patrick Patron of Ireland Ismael J can't tell what may be the reason think you Isaac J know not if it be not that he forfeited his place for his Purgatorie for tho the others were as deep in Popery as he if wee believe the Papists but the Parliament pass'd an Act of Indemnity for England Scotland and Wales after the kings return to his kingdoms and thereby the sin of Popery was forgiven to their Patrons and no act of Indemnitie was past for Jreland whereby Patrik is still guiltie if it be not that the Seaven Champions of Christendom tell us S. Patrick was S. George his footman and it was not thought good manners to put him in the same rank with his Master Ismael For shame if not for piety forbeare J cannot endure to sully sacred things with profane Ralleries the Kalender is a holy institution of the Church and ought to be reverenc'd Isaac And so is Episcopacy surplices Bells Organs and Corner Capps yet J hope you will give Presbyterians Anabaptists Quakers c. leave to laugh at them and be still as good Children of the Reformation as you if you esteem them to be sacred and holy reverence and honor them J commend you for it if others judge otherwise let them follow their humor each one as he fancies saies the fellow kissing â—his Cow this is the holy Libertie of the Reformation Scripture as each one vnderstands it Ismael Let vs return to our last discourse how is it possible that those Tenets of Popery should be the Doctrin of the Reformation wheras wee see the Church of England so severely persecut the Professors of them Isaac Do you think a Doctrin is not of the Reformation because it s denied by the Church of England or because she persecutes the Professors of it do not they persecute all non Conformists as well as Popery persecution is no proof of a Doctrin to be bad it 's but the effect of a blind zeale armed with power for to know certainly if a Doctrin be of the Reformation you must trye it by our test or Rule of faith which is the Written Word of God and whateuer any man of sound judgment of a sincere and humble heart judges to be contained in Scripture or an indubitable consequence out of it that man may believe that Doctrin let all others judge of it as they list and by so believing will be a true Child of the Reformation wherefore since that the Church of France that of England in Edward the VI. time Luther Melancton Grotius and the other authors J quoted do judge Transubstantiation Popes Supremacy and Communion in one kind to be the Doctrine of Sctipture wee must call it the Doctrin of the Reformation and if you judge as they did you may believe that Doctrin and be still of the Reformation as well as they Ismael Can you shew me any other Tenet of Popery which you can call the Doctrin of the Reformation Isaac Alas you can hardly shew me any Tenet of Popery but what is its Doctrin what Doctrin more Popish than that of Confession and Absolution from sins yet it s as truly the Doctrin of the Reformation as Figurative Presence for not only Lobechius Altamerus Sarcerius and Melancton say it s a Sacrament but the Church of England in our Common Prayer booke declares that Priests have not only the power of declaring their sins to be forgiuen to the Penitents but also the power of forgiuing them and sets down the form of Absolution which the Minister is to vse Our Lord Iesus Christ who left power to the Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent of his mercie forgive thee and thine offences and I by his authoritie committed vnto me do Absolve thee from all they sins the ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln in their Survey of the book of Common Prayers checkt this Doctrin as Popery and petitioned to have it blotted out but could not prevaile whereby we are given to vnderstand it s the Doctrin of the Reformation It 's Popery wee say to call Extream Vnction Confirmation and Holy Order of Priesthood Sacraments and who can justly denie all this to be the Doctrin of the Reformation for Calvin saies I confess the Disciples of Christ did vse Extream Vnction as a Sacrement I am not saies he of the opinion of those who judge it was only a Medecin for corporal diseases Calvin also and with him our Common Prayer book and all our Divins say a Sacrament is nothing els but a Visible sign of the invisible Grace wee receive by it and they say with Couel Hooker and others that this definition fits exactly Confirmation wherfore the Ministers of the Diocess of Lincolne checkt the Common Prayer book for giving the Difinition of a Sacrament to Confirmation Melancton Bilson Hooker and Calvin expresly teach that the Order of Priesthood is a SacrameÌ„t And when men of so emineÌ„t judgment of our Reformation teach this to be the Doctrin of Scripture who doubts but that it is of the Reformation Ismael By this you destroy the Doctrin of the Reformation of two Sacraments only Isaac Destroy it God forbid Because the Church of England saies there are but two Sacraments I say its the Doctrin of the Reformation there are but two and because so many eminent men judge by Scripture there are more J say its the Doctrin of the Reformation there are more that 's to say six Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Pennance Extrem Unction and Holy Order and every likely our Bishops and Ministers for their Wyves sake will not stick to grant that Matrimony also is a Sacrament Ismael But can you say that Prayers to Saints and Jmages Prayers for the dead and Purgatorie are not meer Popery and in no wise the Doctrin of the Reformation Isaac Without doubt those Tenets are Popery but all the world knows the Lutherans vse Jmages in their Churchs and pray before them and the â—oly synod of Charenton has declared as wee said in our first Dialogue that the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divin Worship this is also the Doctrin of Jacobus Andreas Brachmanus Kemnitius Luther and Brentius quoted by Beza and why should not a Doctrin judged by such eminent men to be of Scripture be called the Doctrin of the Reformation Prayers for the dead and Purgatorie is Popery confessedly but alas it is